Producer Organizations Research Articles

Attitude of the Staff Towards Farmer Producers Organization – Development and Standardization of the Scale

Farmer Producers Organization is an organization where the members are farmers who come together to buy inputs collectively, sell their produce in bulk eliminating the middlemen and processing the produce to gain more returns. As staff are important assets of the organization, it is advisable to measure their attitude towards the organization. An attempt was made for the construction of scale to measure the attitude of staff towards the Farmer Producers Organization using summated rating scale. After analyzing the review of literature, 48 statements were enlisted initially and were sent to 100 judges. Based on the response of 34 judges, 25 statements were finalized for item analysis. After calculating t-values, 14 statements were finalized in which 10 were positive statements and 4 were negative statements. The reliability was checked using split half method and validity was examined with the help of content validity. The reliability coefficient was found to be 0.84 which indicates that the scale is reliable.

A theoretical perspective of producer organisations in India

A theoretical perspective of producer organisations in India

Constraints perceived by the shareholders of livestock based farmer producer organizations in Kerala

Constraints perceived by the shareholders of livestock based farmer producer organizations in Kerala

Communication Behaviour of Fish Farmers of the FFPO on Scientific Fish Farming

The study examined the communication behaviour of within Fish Farmers Producer Organizations (FFPO) in the Purba Medinipur District of West Bengal in 2023. Using a descriptive research design, data were collected from 120 fish farmers representing four FFPOs in the district. 62.5 per cent regularly contacted fellow farmers for information among (personal localite channels) and, 57.5 per cent reached out to private company consultants, extension workers, or input dealers (personal cosmopolite channels). In terms of impersonal cosmopolite channels, 95 per cent used mobile apps and the Internet as their primary sources of fish-farm-related information. Fish farmers predominantly used personal localite channels to purchase improved seed varieties (80.83%) and feeding practices (72.5%). Personal cosmopolite channels were mainly employed to avail financial benefits (79.16%) and disease diagnosis and management (76.66%). Impersonal cosmopolite channels were utilized less, with 24.16 per cent for marketing and branding. Regarding information-processing behaviour, most respondents evaluated information through discussions with fellow farmers (67.5%) and deliberation based on previous experiences (34.16%). Information storage was accomplished through memorization (75.83%). Most respondents transferred information by sharing with their fellow members for localized awareness (27.5%). Implementing strategies like regular training, promoting information exchange, and utilizing extension services can improve the communication behaviour of fish farmers within FFPO.

Sericulture in Karnataka: Revitalizing through Farmer Producer Organizations

Sericulture in Karnataka: Revitalizing through Farmer Producer Organizations

Performance analysis of farmer producer organisations of Uttarakhand

Performance analysis of farmer producer organisations of Uttarakhand

Logic of Sales Channel Selection to E-Commerce Market of Agricultural Producer Organization in Japan

Logic of Sales Channel Selection to E-Commerce Market of Agricultural Producer Organization in Japan

A Comprehensive Study on the Competitiveness of Governing Structures of Bulgarian Farming

The farm is an abstract category in Economic theory for describing agents managing farming activity, while the real governing structures are farms of different juridical types – physical persons, sole traders, cooperatives, ago=companies, etc. Most of the time, farm’s competitiveness is inadequately assessed through technical and accountancy efficiency, factors’ productivity, profitability, market shares, etc. because critical governance aspects are ignored. This article incorporates the interdisciplinary New Institutional Economics assumptions and principles and tries to give new insights on the real competitiveness of economic organizations in modern agriculture. It suggests a holistic framework for assessing farm’ competitiveness taking into account economic, financial, and governance efficiency, and evaluates absolute and comparative competitiveness of governing structures of Bulgarian farming. The novel assessment system includes four pillars, four criteria, 17 particular, and 5 integral indicators. The first-in-kind evaluation, based on survey data, found that the competitiveness of Bulgarian farms is good. The competitiveness of cooperatives is highest, followed by corporations and associations, sole traders, and physical persons. Critical for competitive positions of farms are: low productivity, income, financial security, and adaptability to natural environment, where public support and farms’ management strategies should be directed. Large shares of the country’s farms have low competitiveness, and if measures are not taken to improve management, restructuring, state support, etc., many farms will cease to exist in the near future. In some cases, other characteristics of governing structures like size, specialization, market orientation, and ecological location, are critical for determining competitiveness level. The suggested and successfully tested framework for assessing the competitiveness of farms should be further improved and applied more widely and periodically in the country and internationally. The precision and representativeness of the information used should also be improved by increasing the number of surveyed farms and their important characteristics. The later requires close cooperation with producer organizations, national agricultural advisory service, and other interested parties as well as extending and improving the system for collecting agro-statistical information in the country and the EU.

STRATEGIES FOR STRENGTHENING FARMER PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS

Collectivisation of farmers has been considered as the one of the most efficient ways to overcome the challenges that are being faced by the small and marginal farmers. Farmer Producer Organization is found to be successful in breaking the dependency of farmers on intermediaries and enabling a better access for markets in order to benefit from economies of scale. The present study was aimed to identify the business opportunities for FPOs and major strategies for strengthening in terms of capacity building, resource/asset generation, robust supply chain, market and credit linkages. Total of 100 farmers from 5 selected FPOs and 20 members from BODs comprising of 5 from each FPO has been interviewed using a well-structured interview schedule. Data was collected on a five point continuum of agreement and mean score was used for analysing the data. Ranking has been given to the strategies based on the mean scores. For exploring new business opportunities, both farmer members and BODs have ranked ‘Accessing new markets’ as the focus area. Among all the categories of strategies for strengthening of FPOs, vertical business expansion was more suggested by the members and BODs.

Cultivating Adaptation: A Study of FPO Farmer Preferences for Climate-Smart Training in the Western Zone of Tamil Nadu, India

The Tamil Nadu government actively supports farmer development through frequent training programs. These programs, incorporating both classroom sessions and field visits, are targeted towards farmer members of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and conducted at regular intervals. Recognizing the importance of understanding farmers' motivations and preferences, the training centers conducted a study involving 80 FPO farmer respondents from Coimbatore and Nilgiris districts. Using rank-based quotient (RBQ) analysis, the researchers explored the reasons behind farmers' participation in the training programs. Additionally, conjoint analysis revealed their preferred training mode. The study identified a two-day program, held once a year from 10 am to 5 pm and combining classroom training with field visits, as the most popular option. Interestingly, the number of days was the key deciding factor for program attendance, while having experienced farmers as trainers or guest speakers emerged as the primary reason for participating. This research offers valuable insights for optimizing future training programs to better cater to the needs and preferences of farmers, ultimately maximizing their benefits and fostering their development.

An Investigation of Constraints Experienced by Homegarden Farmers of Coastal Agro-Ecological Units of Southern Kerala

Homegardens or homesteads represent a promising land use system and are common in Kerala, where the average size of farm households is small. The present investigation was carried out in the coastal homegardens of three selected panchayaths of Southern Kerala during 2021-22 to measure the constraints perceived by the coastal homegarden farmers. A total of 105 homegardens were included in the sample, with 35 homegardens purposefully selected from each identified panchayat. Farmers were interviewed using a structured interview schedule containing both open and closed-ended questions to understand the constraints. The constraints were then ranked based on the total scores obtained by summing up the individual scores for each constraint. These constraints were categorized into five main groups: Economic, Personal, Technology, Physical, and Other Constraints. Among these, "Lack of scientific knowledge," "Salinity," and "Flooding" were identified as the most critical constraints. Furthermore, the farmers provided valuable suggestions to address these constraints. These recommendations emphasized the development of tailored practices for coastal home gardens, the need for support from extension agencies, collaborative technology development, integration of traditional and scientific approaches, the establishment of market connections, the creation of accessible input centres, and the promotion of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs). These suggestions highlight crucial areas for future action and development, potentially enhancing the sustainability and productivity of coastal home gardens in Southern Kerala, benefiting both farmers and the broader community.

Efficiency Evaluation of Farmer Producer Organisations in Sikkim: A DEA Approach

Using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), this study estimated technical, scale, and pure technical efficiencies for 20 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) in India's hilly state, Sikkim. Despite the financial and non-financial support provided by the central government and many other incentives provided by the state government, the findings indicated that the performance of FPOs in Sikkim was not satisfactory. Only 25 per cent of the sampled FPOs in the state were efficient. The mean values of TE, PTE and SE of FPOs were 0.656, 0.819, and 0.769, respectively. It was found that scale inefficiency was the primary source of technical inefficiency, followed by pure technical inefficiency. The results suggested that FPOs in Sikkim face challenges and need immediate action.

Importance of the organization of coffee growers in Perú

Coffee organizations are models or strategies of organizational innovation in the coffee sector in different countries, which may have different results, depending on the point of analysis considered. The purpose of this study was to analyze the dynamism and importance of the organization of coffee producers in Peru, finding that during the last two decades the Peruvian coffee sector has had an exponential growth of coffee organizations, reporting 112 organizations in the export market, which is related to improvements in the average sale prices for coffee marketed by these organizations in the order of 0.13 US dollars per pound above the average price marketed by companies, as well as the improvement of quality and improvement in some aspects that contribute to the sustainability of the farms.

Factors Influencing Profit Chain of Little Millet by Farmer Producer Organization Farmers, Processors and Marketers in Tamil Nadu, India

Little millet, a significant part of the Indian diet known for its health benefits. The study focuses the factors influencing Profit chain of little millet by FPO farmers, processor and retailers. The research focuses on Northern Tamil Nadu, analysing profitability for producers (75), processors (10), and marketers (10). A total sample of 95 respondents were surveyed using structured interview schedule. Key factors influencing profit chain were identified using multiple linear regression model. For producers, Nitrogen and Potash fertilizer positively impact profits, while labour and seed exhibit negative effects. Processors benefit from positive associations with labour and transport, and marketers' profits are linked to labour, transportation, and storage. The findings stress the need for strategic interventions to enhance the millet value chain, emphasizing the importance of efficient logistics. The study recommends policy measures to increase farmers' productivity and profits through incentives, farmer support extension, and innovative technologies, promoting a balanced diet, weight maintenance, and overall well-being while addressing economic aspects of millet production and distribution.

Benefits of farmers’ collectivization through FPOs: A case study ofChinnakodur FPO

The collectivisation of producers, especially small and marginal farmers, into producer organisations has globally emerged as one of the most effective pathways to address various challenges in agriculture. Chinnakodur FPO was nurtured and handhold by ICAR-IIOR. Necessary capacity building was done and a pragmatic business plan was developed. The FPO has made a turnover of more than Rs.35 lakh during the first year and poised to develop into a self-sustainable corporate entity.

Economic impact of farmer producer organisation (FPO) membership: empirical evidence from India

PurposeFarmer producer organisations (FPOs) are considered as a strategy to improve the livelihoods of small farmers through economies of scale by providing collective strength to farmers for improved access to production technology, value-addition services, high-quality inputs and marketing services for improving their incomes. This study investigates the impact of FPO membership on organic farming household's income in Northeast India.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses field survey data collected from all four districts of Sikkim. Primary data were obtained from a survey of 560 organic farming households, 280 of which are FPO members and the rest 280 are non-members. Propensity score matching (PSM) is used to estimate the impact of FPO membership on net returns, return on investment (ROI) and profit margin.FindingsResults show that the FPO members had, on average, Rs. 7,254–8,133 higher annual net returns, 4.6–4.8% higher ROI and 8–8.4% higher profit margin than the non-members. The findings confirm that FPO membership has a positive and significant impact on net returns, return on investment and profit margin. Also, heterogeneity analysis indicates that FPO membership has larger positive impact on relatively bigger farmers and female-headed households.Research limitations/implicationsAs the study was based on a cross-sectional survey, the findings may be subjected to some limitations.Originality/valueThis study is based on a novel data set, collected specifically to examine the economic impact of FPO membership on organic farming in India.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-06-2023-0451

Analysis Of Farmer's Attitude Towards Farmers Producer Organizations (FPOs) in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India

The study was carried out in Gorakhpur and Basti District of eastern region of Uttar Pradesh state by conducting a personal interview with 400 FPOs members those were selected through proportionate random sampling technique from 10 FPOs and 20 members were selected from each of the FPO. The study was carried out under objective "To study the analysis of farmer's attitude towards farmers producer organizations." Out of 400 respondents 52.25 per cent respondents have high level of attitude towards FPOs followed by 34.50 per cent medium and 13.25 per cent have low level of attitude. The average mean of attitude observed to be 58.72 with a range of minimum 40 and maximum 74.

An Analytical Study on Managerial Competencies and Business Performance of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs): A Value Chain Perspective from India

Farmer producer organizations (FPOs) act as an effective institutional mechanism in addressing the constraints of small holders in India. But only a very few FPOs are prospering in their life stages, demanding a need for competent managerial team to understand the business dynamics and improve the organization performance. Hence, the present study attempted to understand the relation between business competencies and financial performance of FPOs operating in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India mediated through business approach. A proportionate representative sample of 4 FPOs and 11 FPOs registered under cooperatives act and companies act, respectively, were selected randomly. Primary data from 50 % of managerial team of FPOs ( n = 94) and secondary data from audited financial reports from 2019–2020 to 2021–2022 were obtained. The major findings of the study showed that business competencies and financial performance of market-centric approached FPOs are significantly higher over production-centric FPOs. A strong and significant correlation existed between competencies and performances. Variables namely education, business exposure, leadership role in community-based organizations and digital media exposure showed moderate correlation with various competency spheres. Due to relatively higher level of these factors in the respondents of market-centric approached FPOs over their counterparts, they possessed comparatively higher business competencies and as such identified business opportunities on the upstream value chain (market-centric) and accordingly showed better financial performance over the FPOs that identified opportunities on the downstream value chain (production-centric). Thus, a strong relationship existed between business approach, business competencies and financial performance.

Measuring performance of farmer producer organisations using data envelopment analysis

PurposeFarmers producer organisations (FPOs) play the most crucial role in the agriculture supply chain system, aiming to redress the balance between farming and marketing activities of agricultural produce. The purpose of this study is to assess the performance of FPOs using data envelopment analysis (usually referred to as DEA) on 34 FPO units selected from the state of Rajasthan.Design/methodology/approachOne of the most commonly used techniques to examine business performance is the application of DEA. The application of DEA requires the selection of inputs and outputs. This study takes three inputs and three outputs based on the insights drawn from the field survey. While the input variables consist of total assets, paid-up capital and the number of economic activities, the three output variables are turnover, net profit and number of members benefitted. Broadly, these variables encapsulate the operational performance of the business units.FindingsThis study’s findings reveal that the estimated relative efficiency score of the input-oriented CCR (Charnes, Cooper, and Rhodes) model ranges from 0.06 to 1. Interestingly, only one FPO has reported a relative efficiency (RE) score of one, whereas the remaining FPOs fall below the efficiency frontier. However, 15 FPOs report an RE score of one in the output-oriented CCR approach. Considering the estimates obtained in the input- and output-oriented BCC (Banker, Charnes and Cooper) models, this study found that about 20% of the FPOs report an efficiency score greater than 0.80. Moreover, three FPOs are on the frontier line. An examination of the scale efficiency score in the input-oriented model, 45% of the FPOs have an efficiency score greater than 0.80, whereas almost all FPOs achieve a scale efficiency score greater than 0.80 in the output-oriented model. Overall, the results imply that the FPOs should place greater emphasis on the efficient utilisation of the inputs to enhance the overall business performance and productivity.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of this study provide vital insights into the specific inputs and outputs that determine the performance efficiency of FPOs and identify the potential areas for improving the existing inefficient FPOs.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the repository of the existing empirical studies in three distinct ways. First, the authors hardly found any previous studies that quantitatively assess the business performance of FPOs using the DEA technique. Second, the effort to identify the slacks associated with each input and output variable in input- and output-oriented models gives insights on improvable areas for inefficient FPOs. Third, the authors attempt to demystify the empirical obfuscations by highlighting the major challenges FPOs face in the state of Rajasthan.

Ensuring Sustainable Income for Farming Community through Farmer Producer Organisations - A Case Study

Ensuring Sustainable Income for Farming Community through Farmer Producer Organisations - A Case Study